Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 14

NFL Week 1 Injures Kyler Murray, Zay Flowers and Ladd McConkey as MRI Results Loom

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 14

NFL Week 1 Injures Kyler Murray, Zay Flowers and Ladd McConkey as MRI Results Loom

Q: Which NFL team's championship hopes were instantly jeopardized by a devastating Week 1 injury?

The Seattle Seahawks appear to be the team whose championship hopes were most immediately threatened by a Week 1 injury, because Sam Darnold went down on the opening drive of the season opener and early reaction framed it as potentially season-altering. That stood out more than the injuries listed in the Week 1 roundup because most of those cases were either not believed to be serious, still under evaluation, or involved players who, while important, are not as central to a title chase as a starting quarterback. Kyler Murray’s concussion is significant for Minnesota, but the early reporting emphasized that he was in good spirits afterward and the Vikings got stabilizing play from Carson Wentz. Zay Flowers’ hamstring issue was also described as not serious early on. By contrast, reporting around Seattle focused on how dependent the Seahawks’ repeat chances are on Darnold staying healthy. He had been a major part of their Super Bowl run, and the immediate concern was that backup Drew Lock would represent a substantial drop-off. One report explicitly said the injury could “completely change the outlook of Seattle’s season.” Later updates suggested Darnold’s injury may be less severe than feared, with an absence of roughly two to three games rather than a long-term loss. But in the immediate aftermath of Week 1, Seattle was the clearest answer to which contender saw its championship outlook instantly jeopardized by a devastating injury.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 14

Kyler Murray left Minnesota's opener with a concussion after a late hit on a slide and did not return, though NFL Network reported he was in good spirits after the Vikings' Week 1 win.
Concussion protocol now clouds Murray's availability, even after Carson Wentz steadied the offense by going 12-of-19 for 133 yards, 3 touchdowns and a two-point conversion in relief.
Zay Flowers delivered 5 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown before aggravating the same hamstring that bothered him in camp; early reports say the injury is not serious, with an MRI still pending.
Ladd McConkey posted 5 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown before a third-quarter chest injury knocked him out, while the Chargers gave no immediate postgame update.
Week 1 also sidelined players across several teams, including Ravens rookie Ja'Kobi Lane with a fractured wrist, Jets rookie Omar Cooper Jr. with an ankle sprain, and Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown with a hamstring issue.